Thermo-electric generator



NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY BARRINGER COX, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT.

TH ERMO-ELECTRIC GENERATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent N0. 548,038, dated October15, 1895.

Application filed Iannary 31, 1894- Serlal No. 49 8,657. (llo model.)

letters of reference marked thereon, which.

form part of this specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in thermo-electricgenerators.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved method ofconstructing thermoelectric generators, whereby the elements constituting the couples will be most permanently and positively united into asingle integral piece by fusing the metals of the elements into an alloyat the point of junction, so that the alloy is homogeneous with themetals of the elements and is gradually shaded ofi into the same.

The invention consists in the peculiar method hereinafter set forth andfully described.

I'Ieretofore great difficulty has been experienced by reason of thebreaking down and separation of the elements composing thethermo-electric couples which constitutes the generator, for variousreasons, such as the unequal expansion and contraction of the differentelements.

It is the object of this invention to so amalgamate or unite the unlikemetals into a single piece as to absolutely prevent this breaking downor rupture at the joints, as in reality no joints are formed, as themetals are fused into a single piece.

It is well understood that thermo-electric generators are generallycomposed of alternant elements of thin metal strips, such as copperstrips, and larger blocks of some softer metal, such as an alloy ofantimony and zinc.

In carrying out my invention the elements are fused together by means ofelectric current in any suitable manner,- so that when the adjacent endsof two unlike elements are in the proper machine to properly apply theelectric current and hold the parts the said elements on engagement witheach other can be so fused at the meeting points as to form an alloy ofthe metals of the elements, which will become amalgamated with theelements themselves, and thereby unite the elements into a single piecewithout the joint or break, and so that there is in reality no line ofunion between the metals.

The copper connectingstrips, which of course have a very high fusingpoint, are formed very thin and of very small area in cross-section,indeed, in comparison with the corresponding area of the large elementsof an alloy of antimony and zinc of comparatively low fusing point. Thelarge element of soft metal is made so much larger than the thin hardmetal strip and in such proportion thereto that the current passingthrough the great area and surface of the large element will be soconcentrated onto the small thin strip that at the junction between thelarge element and a strip both will fuse to form the alloy between themand the graduated alloy junction.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

The method of making thermo electric couples which consists in forming athin hard metal strip element, and a comparatively large metal elementof a lower fusing point than the strip element, then passing an electriccurrent through said large soft metal element and thin metal strip whichare properly proportioned so that the hard metal fuses to the soft metalto form the alloy of the metals of both parts and unite them bygraduated alloy junction, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I affix my signaturein presence of two witnesses.

HARRY BARRINGER COX.

Witnesses:

O. E. DUFFY, O. M. WERLE.

